Cassis

A few weekends ago, before it turned cold, we took a friend visiting from Australia down to Cassis.

Cassis is a seaside town near Marseille and a truly gorgeous place, as I hope my photos manage to convey.

Parking is never easy in these small towns that have become big tourist draws, but I don't really mind (unless it's raining) as it gives me the chance to wander through the streets and get a better feel for the place.

I loved the wall textures out the front of this house.

Getting closer to the water now.

Cassis harbour. What it's all about.

I thought these flower balls on the lampposts were so pretty I had to take two photos. At least I changed the perspective!

After we had a little look around, we settled down here for lunch. I had a fabulous smoked salmon and cream sauce pasta, washed down with plenty of rosé. Thankfully the kids couldn't finish their pizzas (although I had to arm wrestle the mister to get a piece).

After lunch we all had an ice cream/gelato. My gelato was lavender flavoured - delicate, sweet, aromatic, yum.

Cones in hand (dripping on wrists, smeared on faces) we wandered past more boats to the beach.

Not bad, huh?

Too cold for white pointers though.

The sand still wasn't Australia-worthy, but was much less gravelly than La Ciotat.

The kids had a ball burning off all the sugar in their ice creams.

Once energy stores were depleted the men folk took the kids back up the hill to the car while I detoured by the local church. St Michel's Church was built in the 1800s.

The walls behind the altar were painted with soothing-coloured murals.

Not so soothing for poor Joanie (St Joan of Arc).

And here's St Michel (the Archangel Michael) kicking butt and taking names. The dragon is Satan and he is undergoing some extreme root canal therapy at the hands of God's top general.

A close up of St Michael. On his chest he wears the latin words Quis ut Deus which translates to Who is like God? Hint: don't say 'me' unless you want a new throat entrance, as St Michael symbolises humility before God.

This was the view towards the back of the church.

How about that organ! The most beautiful blue.

As I left I noticed these flower boxes in the church square.

Well fed and tired, we drove back home, only stopping once to take some final pics of this fabulous view on the outskirts of the town.

À bientôt, Cassis!